A federal judge is indicating that he is leaning toward approving American Airlines' emergence from bankruptcy protection but wanted more time to reflect.

Judge Sean H. Lane said from the bench that he is "finding the arguments in favor of confirmation fairly persuasive."

He could sign off on American's restructuring plan at the next hearing on Sept. 12 or in a written decision.

Such a decision would only leave one obstacle, although a big one, to American's proposed merger with US Airways. That would be an antitrust lawsuit filed by the government earlier this month.